Happisburgh SHAG group changes name over rude acronym

The 'Save Happisburgh Action Group' - known as SHAG - has been forced to change its name to stop those 'ooh err missus' moments in its fight to save the village from the sea. 

The name change comes as committee members threatened to pull out over the rude acronym.

The group will now go by 'Save Happisburgh' and it still hopes to prevent the village from being lost to the North Sea.

Bryony Nierop-Reading, who established SHAG, said she chose the name because a shag is a breed of seabird which fights for survival against impossible odds - which is exactly what Happisburgh is doing against the sea.

Bryony Nierop-Reading at Happisburgh beach (Image: Denise Bradley)

"Ever since we started meeting as a committee before Christmas we said we must change the name," Miss Nierop-Reading, who lives in Beach Road, Happisburgh, said. 

"I thought it was catchy and attracted attention - but I don’t care what it’s called as long as we get on with it, which is what we’re doing now."

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Happisburgh locals have said around 10 metres of cliff has been eroded during storms since October last year. 

Erosion at Happisburgh (Image: Mike Page)

North Norfolk District Council has said the existing rock armour on the beach was only meant to slow down the rate of erosion and “buy time” for the village, but investing in new sea defences is “not realistically feasible” due to affordability.

The Save Happisburgh group is campaigning to protect the village's famous lighthouse, as well as the church, pub and people's homes. 

Erosion at Beach Road in Happisburgh (Image: Denise Bradley)

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It has already put forward erosion prevention schemes such as an artificial reef, similar to Sea Palling, and a floating boom across the bay to generate electricity from wave and tidal power. 

The group has also suggested sand-scaping, which was carried out at Bacton to protect the gas terminal, and sea defences such as interlocking block groynes.